All over but the pullout
December 7, 2005
All over but the pullout
I keep writing about the war because it has struck a nerve ever since the Bush administration pulled the ultimate switch-aroo; going from 9/11 to going into Afghanistan (which I supported) to invading Iraq. It makes no sense to me. And how/why are we having tax cuts when are fighting a war? This is asinine. But nevertheless, I read a good article in the Washington Post that basically predicted Bush would have to start pulling out of Iraq by next spring or else give Democrats the club they would then use to bludgeon the Republicans in 2006 Congressional midterm elections. I predicted in earlier posts that the media will help present a rosy picture of Iraq on top of being the microphone for Iraqi leaders pleading for the Americans to leave. This two-fold effect will allow the administration to claim when they pull out, “We have achieved victory in Iraq and we are humble enough to acquiesce to the Iraqi government’s request that we leave them so they can govern their own country.”
The article explained the political reality of why Bush will pull out in order to save face and save the Republican party from certain defeat next year. The logic is simple, if the troops stay Bush and Republicans lose. If the troops begin to leave, then the Democrats are forced to follow the President, the same way they did when they voted to authorize the war. And we all know followers are losers in American politics, which is part of the reason Kerry could not explain how he voted for and against the war.
But my heart goes out to the Iraqis. I heard John McCain on Meet The Press discuss quite gleefully, how the Iraqis are starting to die in battle so therefore, the President’s strategy is working. (As Iraqis stand up we stand down) But why do Iraqis have to die if it was the American coalition that initiated the violence? How is it the deaths of Iraqi soldiers turn into a positive situation? Call me a pacifist but an American life is no better/worse than that of an Iraqi. And maybe, just maybe if we valued life more than money and power, we wouldn’t be in this mess right now.
Stay up fam,
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